I formed the strongest swordsman group.

Chapter 1167 The First Clash Between Qingdeng and Ōtakemaru!
Just before Sagawa Kanbei and his men launched their feint attack—

A tent within the Northern Expeditionary Army's main camp—

"Cough! Cough cough cough! Cough cough cough cough!"

A series of rapid, hoarse coughs dominated the tent.

Inside the tent stood a candle, its dim light casting a soft glow on the face of the eight-headed serpent, making its features appear and disappear.

The eight-headed serpent lay in the bedding, its face as pale as paper, its chest rising and falling rapidly in an unnatural rhythm. With each breath, it made a "hoarse" sound, like two pieces of sandpaper rubbing together.

Tamamo-no-Mae, Ōtakemaru, and Ōtakemaru's sister, Rin, sat around the Yamata no Orochi.

It's worth mentioning that their expressions were all different.

Tamamo-no-Mae remained calm.

Ah Ling looked worried.

As for Ōtakemaru... one would expect to describe his current expression as "calm," but that's not entirely accurate.

His expression was not simply calm or indifferent, but rather a kind of... detachment from worldly affairs. There was no emotion in his cheeks or eyes, making it impossible to fathom his inner thoughts.

"Cough cough cough cough cough cough cough—!!"

Suddenly, the Yamata no Orochi's cough intensified, as if it were coughing up both of its lungs.

Ah Ling seemed to have long been accustomed to this situation.

She deftly brought over the wooden basin beside her and handed it to the mouth of the Yamata no Orochi.

The Yamata no Orochi quickly propped itself up, turned its head to the side, buried its face in the wooden tub, opened its mouth, and spat out dark red phlegm with a "whoosh".

"Huff...huff...huff...huff...huff..."

After spitting out the phlegm, Orochi's complexion improved slightly, and its breathing became much smoother.

As Ah Ling put the wooden basin back in its place, she cast a concerned glance at the Yamata no Orochi.

"Lord Orochi, would you like some water?"

Orochi shook his head with a wry smile:

"Let me catch my breath... I don't have the strength to drink water right now..."

He said he lay down again, closed his eyes tightly, and greedily inhaled large gulps of oxygen.

After Yamata no Orochi fell ill, his close associates, such as Tamamo-no-Mae and Shuten-dōji, sought out renowned doctors, from traditional Chinese medicine to Western medicine, accepting all comers.

Ultimately, Tamamo-no-Mae found a highly skilled German doctor.

After conducting a thorough physical examination of the Yamata no Orochi, he delivered a devastating diagnosis: the Yamata no Orochi had a tumor growing in its lungs.

Because it involved complex medical information, they were unaware of the specific details, only knowing that it was an incurable disease and that they could only slowly wait to die.

As the condition worsened, Yamata no Orochi's symptoms, such as chest pain, difficulty breathing, and coughing up blood, became increasingly severe.

Nowadays, whenever the illness flares up, he suffers unspeakable pain, so much so that he doesn't even have the strength to stand up and can only lie in bed breathing with difficulty.

That's why he cherishes the time he can "breathe freely".

"...Orochi, if you are in too much pain, why don't you go back to Koshu and rest for a while?"

Suddenly, Tamamo-no-Mae opened her almost disappearing lips—the lips of an elderly person always become thinner—and admonished Orochi in a calm and unhurried tone.

"The air on the battlefield is thick and pungent, and the acrid smell of gunpowder will put a heavy burden on your lungs."

“Your condition is getting worse and you should rest quietly in a place with fresh air.”

"I can take full charge of the battle against Tachibana Seiden."

The Fa Zhu Party has a secluded and quiet secret residence in Jiazhou, which is specifically for the Yamata no Orochi to recuperate.

The eight-headed serpent rolled its eyes, met Tamamo-no-Mae's gaze, and smiled slightly:
"Tamamo-no-Mae, thank you for your concern. But I'm fine."

"This battle is a decisive one against Tachibana Seito... We have staked everything on victory."

"I cannot be absent from such an important battle."

"Whether it is Tachibana Seiden's defeat or our demise, I want to witness it with my own eyes."

"Besides... I don't have much time left. Even if I rest and recuperate, I won't live to see this winter... I'm too lazy to put in any more effort to gain a mere one or two months of life."

Orochi spoke casually, as if discussing the life and death of others, seemingly not taking his own illness or life seriously at all.

In contrast, Ah Ling was not so carefree.

As soon as Orochi finished speaking, she lowered her head, an overwhelming sadness appearing on her face.

Just then, Ōtakemaru, who had been motionless like a statue since the beginning, suddenly opened his eyes wide and turned to look outside the tent.

His sudden action drew the attention of everyone inside the tent.

"Brother, what's wrong?"

Before Ōtakemaru could respond, the rumbling thunder outside answered for him.

As if sensing something, Ōtakemaru's usually emotionless face suddenly broke into a smile.

In the blink of an eye, he grabbed the sword at his side, then strode out of the tent...

……

……

Qingdeng swung his spear like a cannonball, blasting away one Northern soldier after another.

Anything touched by its spear tip would have its bones, blood, and internal organs "shattered" or even "vaporized," splattering all over the ground.

By this day, the Shinsengumi cavalrymen have accumulated considerable combat experience.

After following Qingdeng into the enemy camp, they took it upon themselves to wield their katanas, slaying all enemies within their blades and destroying all facilities along the way.

Tents, campfires, battle flags... everything was smashed to pieces.

Their attention was completely drawn to the feint attack from the west, so when Qingdeng launched his general offensive from the east, they were unsurprisingly thrown into chaos.

Qingdeng turned his gaze, scanning everything around him.

Frightened faces, terrified faces, pained faces... Looking around, there was no effective resistance to be seen.

Despite possessing advanced firearms, they were chased and beaten like pigs and dogs, failing to unleash the lethality expected of a "firearms unit".

This performance is exactly what Qing Deng had guessed about the actual combat strength of the "Northern Army".

In his vision, the "Northern Army" should behave in this way, even if it is equipped with new equipment, its core is still a feudal army with limited combat power.

Where are the British troops?

As Qingdeng pondered, he swung his long spear, blasting several more northern soldiers into the air.

Just then, whether it was fortunate or unfortunate, Qingdeng's "wish" to "find the British army" came true.

After storming into the enemy camp, Qingdeng kept his ears perked up, collecting every sound around him.

With the blessing of the talent "Wind Perception +18", he can clearly distinguish even the most chaotic noises and murmurs.

Suddenly, he heard the sound of synchronized footsteps.

At a time when the northern soldiers were being routed and fleeing in disarray, the sound of their footsteps was all too clear.

Qing Deng immediately looked in the direction of the sound—to his diagonal front, rows of Western soldiers with tall eyebrows and deep-set eyes stood in neat formation, raising their dark gun barrels, the bayonets below the barrels gleaming coldly.

Qing Deng's eyes had already caught the action of "grabbing the trigger".

At the same time, his talent "Foresight +26" caused the hairs on his body to stand on end as he sensed danger!
In the blink of an eye, the barrage of comments arrived!
boom! boom! boom! boom! boom! boom! boom! boom! boom!
Countless bullets flew out, churning the air and engulfing Qingdeng and the cavalry behind him!
There were more than a dozen bullets that Qing Deng could see with his naked eye that would hit him and Luo Bo!

The spear was too big and too long, so its speed was limited and it was simply not fast enough to intercept the bullets.

Therefore, Qingdeng swiftly hung his long spear back on the saddle, then spread his arms and drew his Vairocana and Wakizashi from his waist, shattering all the incoming bullets at the last second. Unfortunately... he could protect himself and Luobo, but he couldn't save the lives of others.

Instantly, screams erupted behind him.

The rider, struck by a bullet, collapsed to the ground, kicking up a light dust.

The horses that were hit threw their riders off their backs.

The originally strong momentum of the charge was immediately interrupted!
This single volley of fire alone demonstrates the strength of these Western soldiers.

Their actions were decisive and swift, displaying a high level of discipline and tenacity that was visible to the naked eye, and their shooting accuracy was exceptionally high, which was terrifying!
If Qingdeng hadn't possessed the ability to "ignore the barrage of comments," he would have been riddled with bullets by now, even though he was at the forefront.

Although the accuracy and density of these bullet comments were truly alarming, Qing Deng was already used to it, so he didn't even flinch.

At this moment, Qing Deng was shocked to discover that even more Western soldiers were gathering ahead.

No, they should be called "British soldiers".

Squads of British soldiers rushed out of their tents and quickly formed neat ranks, creating a stark contrast with the fleeing Northern troops around them.

"Second team, advance! Third team, prepare!" (in English)

Instructions in English with a distinct British accent reached Qingdeng's ears one after another.

Qing Deng quickly turned his gaze and estimated the number of British soldiers—at least two thousand, and their total number should be around three thousand.

This should be the actual force sent by the British government to aid the "Southern Dynasty".

No matter how shameless the British government is, it's impossible for them to send tens of thousands of troops to support the "Southern Dynasty".

Three thousand soldiers is just the right number, neither too many nor too few.

These British soldiers were not merely loading bullets; their rifles were also fitted with gleaming bayonets, indicating they were ready for close combat.

The thick, dense bayonets formed a formidable "hedgehog formation," inspiring awe and fear.

It is well known that cavalry would find it difficult to break through the "hedgehog formation" head-on.

Of course, if Qingdeng were to serve as the "spearhead" to break through the formation, that would be a different story.

With his long spear and long arms, he could easily blast away any British soldiers blocking his path before their bayonets could pierce him, tearing a gap in the "hedgehog formation."

However... if the fighting continues, they will inevitably have to engage in a brutal and bloody battle with the British army.

A few hundred cavalrymen launched a direct attack on three thousand highly skilled British troops... To put it bluntly, the two sides were vastly different in strength.

The previous attack had already demonstrated the strength of the British army; a hasty assault would only result in heavy casualties.

As the commander-in-chief, Qing Deng cannot ignore the balance between "gains" and "costs".

He can certainly walk away unscathed, but what about the others behind him?

Should we try to attack, or stop here?
Qingdeng made his decision almost without hesitation.

The objective of probing the enemy's strength has been achieved, and we have also ascertained the true strength of the British forces. Now is the opportune time to retreat.

Just as he was about to give the order to "retreat immediately" to all his men, in a split second... truly a split second, he suddenly caught sight of a familiar figure—

A tall, slender warrior suddenly appeared directly in front of him.

When Qingdeng looked up, their eyes met.

What came into Qingdeng's view was a pair of beautiful, childlike eyes.

Children who are carefree and untouched by the world's pollution will have such bright, sparkling eyes.

At this moment, those eyes gleamed with excitement.

He stared intently at Qingdeng, as if afraid of losing him, his eyelids never blinking, and the corners of his mouth kept extending towards his ears, revealing his white teeth.

Clang—in a split second, he drew the sword from his waist, raised the tip of the blade, and assumed a fighting stance.

The blade is narrow, with a shallow curve and a long edge. The blade pattern is shaped like leaping mountain peaks, and the finely textured surface shines with a clear, cold light. It is clear at a glance that this is a top-tier treasured sword that is hard to come by.

Upon seeing this person, Qing Deng's pupils contracted slightly, and his expression turned serious.

He naturally recognized the other person...after all, they had just met not long ago.

He no longer had time to think about questions like, "Since Ōtakemaru is here, then the other cadres of the Hoju Party must also be here."

The moment Ōtakemaru drew his sword and assumed a fighting stance, an overwhelming sense of crisis overwhelmed Aoto's consciousness!
As if by reflex, Qingdeng quickly sheathed the wakizashi in his left hand and then gripped the Vairocana tightly with both hands.

Moreover, his eyes shone with a peculiar light.

The eternal talent "Heartless Demon Child" is activated!
Enter the state of "selflessness"!
In an instant, Qingdeng adjusted his mind and body to their best and strongest state.

However... even so, the sense of crisis in his heart did not dissipate, making him dare not be careless in the slightest.

Ōtakemaru kept his eyes fixed on him, casting a deep, eerie gaze.

For some reason, Qingdeng had a strange feeling—it seemed that his entire body, inside and out, had been "seen" naked.

Even though he hadn't made a move yet, he had a strong premonition that Ōtakemaru had completely seen through his sword technique.

Although his mind was filled with surprise and confusion, Qing Deng had no time to think about it—the two figures merged into one!

Using the momentum of the radish's charge, Qingdeng slashed out with his knife.

The Vairocana in his palm transformed into a black and purple afterimage, sweeping diagonally toward Ōtakemaru's body.

The instant Qingdeng swung his sword... Qingdeng's premonition came true—Daoyue Maru completely saw through his sword's path, and his sword, like magnets attracting each other, went straight to meet it.

Twin swords clashing—

clang! ! !
A terrifying shockwave emanated from the two colliding blades and swept outwards in all directions!
Hair, the hem of haori... all the lighter items on the two of them swayed and fluttered from the shockwave.

Because the momentum was so terrifying, both sides' soldiers couldn't help but stop what they were doing and stared blankly at this sudden clash that seemed to be able to split the atmosphere!

The confrontation began swiftly and ended decisively.

Radish, still riding on Qingdeng's back, sped past Ōtakemaru.

"..."

Qing Deng turned his head away and stared meaningfully at Ootengu, who was gradually being left behind—his hands holding the sword were trembling slightly.

Almost at the same time, Ōtakemaru also turned back to look at Aoto—his hands, which were gripping the sword, were also trembling slightly.

However, unlike Qingdeng, the emotion hidden in his eyes was very simple... just excitement, pure excitement, an increasingly intense excitement.

He watched Qingdeng with great delight, his smile widening as he looked on.

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Please vote with monthly tickets! Please vote with recommendation tickets! (Leopard crying.jpg)

P.S.: Leopard was exhausted yesterday and needed a long rest to recover today, so today's update is a little late... I'm very sorry! Leopard will be back tomorrow! (Cowardly Leopard.jpg)

Leopard went to Macau yesterday to see the Demon Slayer movie.
The sheer technical prowess and the sheer amount of money on screen make watching this movie on an IMAX screen an absolute blast.

Leopard's sister hadn't read the original work or watched anime much, but after watching the movie, she was deeply impressed and wanted to read the original work—this theatrical version is just that amazing.

I really hope this movie can be released in mainland China, so I can watch it a second time (crying leopard head.jpg)

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However, this theatrical version has one flaw, which is a major weakness of manga adaptations.

Because the original work is a manga, when flashbacks are inserted, the relevant content can be flipped through in two or three minutes at most, so the pacing doesn't feel slow.

But animation is different. When flashbacks are inserted, the characters have to gugugaga deliver their lines, and the visuals are shown in rapid succession. It can take several minutes or even more than ten minutes to finish.

This leads to the following result—

The two groups were having a heated argument when the opposing side started reminiscing about friendships and responsibilities...

After the flashback ended, the opposing side switched to flashbacks, recounting their ambitions, their painful past, and so on...

After it ended, they started fighting again, and after a short while, they switched back to flashbacks...

While you can quickly finish reading a comic book, you have to patiently watch the entire animation, which makes the pace feel slow and tedious. A two-and-a-half-hour movie with more than a dozen flashback scenes is quite difficult to watch.